John S. Fitzgerald

John S. Fitzgerald (died 1823) was an American fur trapper who was best-known for leaving Hugh Glass for dead and killing his son after a bear nearly mauled him to death, resulting in Glass tracking down and killing Fitzgerald in a legend of revenge.

Biography
John S. Fitzgerald was a soldier in the US Army and a fur trapper, and he was partially scalped by Native Americans while in the army, leaving him with a hatred of Indians. Fitzgerald was a selfish man, and on one occasion he ate a fellow fur trapper during an expedition. Fitzgerald joined Captain Andrew Henry's 1823 expedition up the Missouri River to gather pelts from bison and other animals in the region, and he was hostile towards the guide Hugh Glass and his half-native son Hawk during the trip. Fitzgerald was angered by the story that Glass had killed an American officer during an American attack on a Pawnee village, and he was even more angry at Hawk for being half-white and half-native. When Glass was mauled by a bear, Fitzgerald wanted to leave him behind, and he was persuaded to stay with him only by Henry's promise of $300 to Bridger, Hawk, and Fitzgerald if they stayed with him until his death and gave him a proper burial. Fitzgerald attempted to gag Glass and choke him to death, but Hawk later intervened and pushed Fitzgerald aside. Fitzgerald proceeded to stab Hawk in the waist with a knifei and kill him; Bridger was away gathering water, so he could not help Hawk or Glass. Fitzgerald denied knowing where Hawk went, and he told Bridger that he saw 20 Arikara natives coming along the river, forcing Bridger to abandon the search for Hawk and the care for Fitzgerald. Bridger left behind his special canteen (marked with a swirl on it) for Glass to use, and Fitzgerald and Bridger returned to Fort Kiowa. However, Fitzgerald later admitted that he had left Glass for dead on purpose, and while Fitzgerald accepted the $300 from Henry, Bridger left without payment. Later, a Frenchman arrived at the fort and showed Henry the special canteen when taking out items to pay for lodging and food, and Bridger recognized it. Fitzgerald knew that Glass was alive and coming for him, so he decided to flee, telling the Englishman Anderson that he was going to Texas.

Fitzgerald wanted to settle down in Texas and have his own plot of land there, and he also decided to re-enlist in the military to get an excuse for killing people. He was tracked down to the woods by Captain Henry and a wounded yet vengeful Glass, and Fitzgerald shot Henry off of his horse in an ambush before scalping him. Glass later found the body and decided to set a trap for Fitzgerald, putting Henry's body on the horse while hiding underneath the bear pelt behind the saddle. Fitzgerald again shot Henry, but after seeing that the body was Henry's, he looked at the saddle and saw Glass pull a revolver and shoot him. Fitzgerald ran from Glass, who lost his musket while sliding down a hillside to chase Fitzgerald down. Fitzgerald and Glass fought with a knife and tomahawk, with Glass cutting off some of Fitzgerald's fingers and Fitzgerald biting off Glass' ear and stabbing him through the left hand. However, Glass was able to mortally wound Fitzgerald, and he decided that "Revenge is in the creator's hands", as the Pawnee Hikuc told him. He sent him down the river to a group of Arikara warriors, who murdered Fitzgerald. The Arikara spared Glass, who had saved the chief's daughter Powaqa, and Glass' revenge was complete.